


Developments

by Delta15



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Developing Relationship, F/M, Female Zuko (Avatar), Fluff, Genderbending, Genderswap, Male Katara (Avatar), POV Zuko (Avatar), Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:13:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25798741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Delta15/pseuds/Delta15
Summary: Ever since the Southern Raiders, Princess Zuka began to notice more and more things about Kato. While pondering about their developing relationship, she wonders if she can call Kato a friend. Or maybe something more.OrA genderswapped AU where Zuka has atinycrush on Kato, and is slightly nervous about it.
Relationships: Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 29
Kudos: 209





	1. Cooking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is my first fic and I've always thought that genderswapped Zutara is the best, but since not many people have done it before I've decided to do it myself!
> 
> In this universe, female Zuko is called Zuka, and male Katara is called Kato. In my head, Zuka is even more awkward than Zuko, because I think that shy female Zuko is _adorable_.
> 
> The first few chapters are a little short, but I was more inspired while writing the last couple of chapters, so they're a little longer than the rest.
> 
> Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading!

Zuka was nervous.

She was currently in the kitchen, working with Kato to make lunch for the Gaang. 

It also just so happened that the source of her issues was standing about six feet away from her.

Ever since Kato and Zuka went on their “life changing expedition” (as Toph liked to call it), she had begun to notice some… new developments in their relationship. 

After helping Kato find his mother’s killer, their previously hostile rivalry had turned into something more akin to friendship. 

If she was being honest, she quite enjoyed being around him. She often assisted Kato with many of the chores, and they had begun to spar and train together on a daily basis. 

In fact, Kato had unofficially adopted the role of team father, with Zuka taking on the role of team mother. The two of them would often try and get the others to behave, with varying degrees of success. 

But recently, she found herself being drawn to him more and more.

First, it was how well they worked as a team. Despite their stark differences, the two of them would flow together seamlessly. When pitted against each other, they were merely equals. But when the two of them were working in sync, they were nearly unstoppable. Although their elements were opposites, they complemented each other in a variety of ways. 

She was also amazed at how good of a bender he was. Whilst she had known that he was a prodigy, he had improved by orders of magnitude since their encounter at the North Pole. He had managed to master waterbending in just a couple of months, becoming one of the most powerful benders in the entire world along the way.

But most of all, she was fascinated by his kindness. True to his word, Kato would always help those that needed him. She had heard of his exploits as the Painted Warrior, healing the sick and the elderly, and making sure that the residents of the village of Jang Hui were able to reclaim their village after their old way of life had been destroyed by their own countrymen.  
However, even with all of her realizations, Zuka was still wary of Kato. 

She didn’t want to ruin their developing relationship, so she made sure to be extra careful around the handsome young man.

Ever since her childhood, the Crown Princess was never a very sociable person. She had spent much of her youth alone, passing her time with her tutors, and occasionally hanging out with Azula and her friends. Not to mention that after she was banished, she had even less time, let alone opportunity to socialize with people her age.

As a result, the shy and reserved young girl had grown into a shy and reserved young woman. Before joining Team Avatar, she had never really had a true friend before. Sure, there was Mai and Ty Lee, but they were loyal to Azula, at least until recently.

And so when Kato had asked her if she could accompany him to the market, the Fire Princess simply gaped at him, stunned by his request.

He quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Are you coming or not? We ran out of meat for Sokka, and I could use a break from all this chopping.”

Zuka could feel the blush rushing to her face as she opened and closed her mouth, before finally stammering out an answer. 

“M-me?”

She groaned inwardly. Spirts, was she always so awkward?

He rolled his eyes. 

"Of course you! Plus, since we're friends now, we should… do stuff together sometimes right?"

That was true. And that's what friends do for each other right?

She thought for a minute before sighing.

"Alright then, I'll come with you."

Kato shot her a boyish grin before gathering his coin purse.

“Alright then! Let’s go!” 

She stared at his retreating form, before finally snapping out of it. Ignoring the way her stomach had fluttered at his smile, she grabbed her cloak before following the blue-eyed boy out the door and onto the road that led toward the heart of the island. 

“Friends huh?” she mumbled to no one in particular. 

A small smile spread across her face. She thought she could live with that. 

That would do. 

At least, for now...


	2. Shopping Trips

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've decided to add a few chapters to this story. They'll most likely be pretty short, and I'll probably end it around 5 or so :)  
> Hope you enjoy!

Over the next few weeks, Zuka had begun to learn more and more about Kato. 

Much to her surprise, the initial wariness that she had felt towards him had all but disappeared. The two fell into an easy companionship, electing to do almost everything together. 

Even though they couldn’t be any more different from one another, their two contrasting personalities seemed to mesh together seamlessly. Whilst Zuka was shy and quiet, Kato was outgoing and lively. 

In just a matter of weeks, Kato had become one of her closest friends, if not her closest friend. 

After all, recently, she had been spending nearly all of her free time with him. With the rest of the group present, Zuka was content to just listen unless prompted by the others. However, when she was around Kato, she would open up and the two of them would sometimes talk late into the night about seemingly anything and nothing at once. 

Zuka also tried her best to ignore the way her heart sped up when she was around him. 

With all her newfound knowledge, she wasn’t surprised when she found out that Kato was quite a fan of shopping.

After their first expedition to the market, it soon became a recurring thing. Every few days, Kato would ask Zuka to accompany him to go shopping. At first, he would make up some excuse about how she knew the best places to shop or that she knew how to haggle with the vendors better than he could. 

However, after a while, they chose to abandon the pretense, simply enjoying the time that they got to spend with each other, away from the prying eyes of the rest of their friends. 

Secretly though, she _despised _shopping.__

__After countless expeditions with Uncle and after being dragged to some of the strangest of places for hours on end, Zuka was sure that she had her fill for one lifetime._ _

__She remembered one time in particular when Uncle had lost his lotus tile for his Pai Sho set and had insisted that she come with him to find another. Little did she know that their little detour would result in her and Kato meeting face to face for the first time since the South Pole._ _

__She flushed at the memory, remembering how she had tied him to a tree and whispered “I’ll save you from the pirates” into his ear. What was even worse was how after they had escaped, Uncle had found out that the tile was in his stupid sleeve the whole time._ _

__It was safe to say that due to Uncle, she had quite the distaste for the activity. Be that as it may, she couldn’t deny that shopping with Kato was _definitely _growing on her.___ _

____Zuka found herself looking forward to their expeditions, eager to spend time with her friend - in a totally platonic way, of course._ _ _ _

____This led her to her current situation. After coming with Kato for yet another outing to the market, he surprised her with a different proposition._ _ _ _

____“Man, I’m beat after all that walking. You wanna go grab something to eat?”_ _ _ _

____Caught off guard by his casual suggestion, she struggled to maintain her composure as she desperately thought of something to say._ _ _ _

_____'Get something to eat? Like in a friendly way, or in a I-like-you way? No, he wouldn’t… Right? He’s never shown interest before. Does he feel the same way?' ____ _ _ _

______Zuka was brought out of her thoughts as Kato stopped walking and turned around, clearly expecting a response. She quickly cleared her throat before answering, trying to sound as calm as possible._ _ _ _ _ _

______“S-sure. I could go for a bite to eat right about now.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______She cringed at the sound of her voice. She sounded anything but nonchalant. However, if Kato noticed, he chose not to say anything as he gave her a wide smile, before grabbing her hand and leading her down one of the main streets._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Alright! Sokka told me about this little restaurant around the corner. He said that they have the best noodles. Oh! Speaking about Sokka, did I tell you that one time he...”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Zuka just smiled contently as Kato regaled her with stories about Sokka’s infamous appetite, as they walked hand in hand to the restaurant._ _ _ _ _ _

______Zuka thought that she could call Kato her best friend._ _ _ _ _ _

______She also chose to ignore the voice in her head that said that they could be so much more._ _ _ _ _ _


	3. Ember Island Players

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just thought that I would clarify a bit, in this story Aang never had a crush on Kato. So naturally, the kiss scene never happened. Anyways, this chapter was really fun to write and I hope you enjoy!

Zuka sighed as she dug her toes into the cold sand.

After they returned from the play, everyone had gone to their respective rooms except Zuka. She knew that there was no point - she wouldn’t be able to sleep anyways. 

A shudder went down her spine. 

Especially not after that ending.

Instead, she decided to head down to the beach. During her youth, Zuka had always enjoyed the seaside. She would eagerly await their annual trip to Ember Island, wanting to build sandcastles and go swimming. 

She smiled softly at the memory, remembering when times were simpler. She and Azula used to get along very well as children. Back when their family was happy. 

When their father wasn’t the Fire Lord. 

But everything changed when their mother disappeared. Azulon was dead, Ozai was crowned Fire Lord, and Zuka was prepared for her new responsibilities as Crown Princess. 

After that, things only went downhill from there. Ozai pitted the once close sisters against each other. While they were competitive when they were kids, it was more of a light hearted sibling rivalry. However, after the disappearance of their mother, and with no one to play mediator, her relationship with Azula deteriorated. Their once healthy bond was gone - replaced by one of jealousy, envy, and bitterness.

Azula was the better bender. Azula was more cunning. Azula was more ruthless. If it wasn’t for the circumstances of her birth, Azula would be the clear choice as heir to the Fire Lord.

It was like what their father used to say. 

Azula was born lucky. 

___You_ were lucky to be born. _ _

____Zuka let out a bitter laugh. All her life, she had tried to make her father proud. All her life she had just wanted her father’s love._ _ _ _

____And look where she was now._ _ _ _

____Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone speaking behind her._ _ _ _

____“Can’t sleep?”_ _ _ _

____She turned around, igniting a small fire in her palm. Behind her stood Kato, looking slightly amused at the sight of the mighty Crown Princess twirling her toes in the sand._ _ _ _

____“Yeah. I’ve been thinking about that stupid play.” she replied._ _ _ _

____“Mind if I join?”_ _ _ _

____“Make yourself comfortable.”_ _ _ _

____She watched as Kato removed his boots before plopping himself down right beside her. Zuka felt her heartbeat increase at the proximity, as she reminded herself to breathe._ _ _ _

____She couldn’t help but stare a bit - unbeknownst to Kato. She knew that it was rude, but the way the moonlight shines against his face gives him an almost ethereal look, and she couldn’t find it within herself to avert her gaze._ _ _ _

____Kato glanced at her and she quickly looked away from him, cheeks flaming._ _ _ _

____"Are you okay?" he inquired. "If I'm bothering you or if you want to be alone, I can always just leave."_ _ _ _

____"No!” she blurted out. “I mean, it's ok. I was just… thinking a little bit."_ _ _ _

____He nodded in understanding. "Some play that was huh?"_ _ _ _

____"That might be the understatement of the year." she grumbled back._ _ _ _

____Kato chuckled, turning his head back to face the ocean. The two sat in silence before Kato spoke up._ _ _ _

____"Do you think we'll win?"_ _ _ _

____That was the question that had been keeping her up all night. If she was being honest, she wasn’t really sure if they would. Whilst Aang had improved at firebending, he was nowhere near as good as her father. Even with his other three elements, with the power of Sozin’s Comet, Ozai would be at his most powerful._ _ _ _

____And then there was the issue of Azula. Zuka always knew that the day would come, but she dreaded having to face her younger sister. Deep down Zuka still loved her. No matter what she did, Azula would always be the little girl that played hide and seek with her, or asked to see her bending._ _ _ _

____“I don’t know.” she sighed._ _ _ _

____Out of all of her friends, Zuka was the most realistic about what might happen during Sozin’s Comet. She knew that even though they were the greatest hope that the world had seen, they were still children._ _ _ _

____Children who had their innocence and childhood stripped away by this pointless war. Children who had been forced to grow up, unable to enjoy their youth like so many their age were doing._ _ _ _

____If they didn’t succeed, then there was nowhere that would be safe from Ozai’s wrath. Countless lives would be lost, and for what? The bigoted ideals and beliefs of a bygone generation?_ _ _ _

____Zuka quickly snapped out of her thoughts before continuing._ _ _ _

____“I know there’s the possibility that not all of us will make it out of this alive.” she began._ _ _ _

____She turned to give Kato a soft smile. “But I just wanted to say, that if I’m going to die, there’s no one else I’d rather die with.”_ _ _ _

____Despite the grim suggestion in her words, he simply wrapped his arm around her shoulder before pulling her close._ _ _ _

____“You’d better take that back princess, because there’s no way I’m going to let you, or anyone else that I care about die on my watch. Not if I have anything to say about it.”_ _ _ _

____Zuka blushed at his words as he shot her his trademark grin. “Y-you care about me?”_ _ _ _

____Now it was Kato’s turn to look embarrassed as he scratched his head with his other hand. “Of course! You’re my best friend, and we’ve been through so much together.”_ _ _ _

____Not even bothering to tamp down the hope rising in her chest, she leaned her head against his shoulder. sighing as she felt his head come to rest against her’s._ _ _ _

____“Thank you. It means a lot to me.” she responded. “Besides… I care for you too.”_ _ _ _

_____More than you will ever know. ____ _ _ _

______She could feel Kato’s lips curl into a smile against her head. “I wouldn’t expect anything less, princess.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Zuka scoffed at his antics, before snuggling further into his shoulder._ _ _ _ _ _

______Between the two of them, Zuka felt as if nothing in the world could stop them._ _ _ _ _ _

______Not even Sozin's comet._ _ _ _ _ _


	4. Liquidy-Hot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this took me a little longer to write than the others, but I'm trying to shoot for some longer chapters and I had a few ideas about this one. I'm not very good at writing dialogue, but I'm trying to force myself to get better at it so if anything seems OOC that's on me. Hope you emjoy and thanks for reading!

It was the day after the play and everyone seemed to be in a better mood. She had been training Aang early in the morning before he had run off to take a break. Everyone was lounging around, acting as if Sozin’s Comet wasn’t just a few days away. 

All of this infuriated her. What were they doing? Aang was nowhere ready to fight Ozai, and they were having beach parties? In a moment of anger, Zuka decided to resort to one of the many tactics that her instructors had used when she was still learning how to bend.

So she attacked Aang. 

Now in all fairness, she could’ve gone about it less aggressively, but she really wanted to show Aang and the others that now was not the time for leisure. Needless to say, her bright idea didn’t go as planned.

After being airblasted out of the house, she was surrounded by her friends on all sides. Kato looked both worried and furious as he asked her what on Earth she was doing attacking the Avatar. 

In her anger, she shouted back at him, asking how they could be acting so relaxed with Sozin’s Comet looming over the horizon. It was then that Aang explained rather sheepishly that they had decided to wait until after the comet to fight the Firelord. He simply wasn’t ready and Ozai would likely wipe the floor with him if they tried now. 

After all, what was the worst that could happen?

Zuka felt the guilt gnaw at her insides as she knew what her father was planning to do with the power of the comet. She remembered vividly how he had proclaimed that if the Earth Kingdom wouldn’t surrender, then they would simply burn it to the ground. 

With a sigh, she explained that Ozai wasn’t going to remain idle when the comet passed. Everyone stared at her in horror as she described what she had witnessed at her father’s war meeting. When she finished, their dread turned into steely resolve and they all got back to training, with twice the effort that they previously had. 

In the meantime, Sokka had come up with a new strategy; one that would destroy the airships of the Fire Nation before they could take off and ravage the Earth Kingdom. 

Aang, filled with new determination, was eager to practice it. Zuka led them out to a narrow cliffside behind the house where they would work on it, as Sokka laid out his plan. 

It was simple, really.

Suki and Sokka would draw Ozai’s fire, then Kato and Zuka would charge in with their “liquidy-hot” offence, and finally, Aang would deliver the final blow while he was distracted. 

The team splits into their respective roles, and Zuka found herself standing next to Kato. He nodded sternly at her before turning his attention to Sokka, signalling that they were ready. 

With Toph standing in as the “Melon Lord”, the assault began.

Following Sokka's plan, Zuka and Kato went on the offensive, weaving in and out of the flaming boulders that Toph sent their way. They flowed seamlessly, moving in perfect harmony with each other. 

It was at this moment that Zuka realized that she trusted Kato with her life. 

She had always trusted him of course, but just seeing the way that they moved together, the way that she always knew what he was going to do without him having to say anything. 

After all their sparring and time together, she doesn't have to see what he's doing. 

She could just _feel_ it. 

The two of them advanced through Toph's stone soldiers and flaming boulders with ease. Zuka watched with confidence and pride as Aang prepared to strike the Melon Lord down. 

Except he didn’t. 

Instead, he lowered his staff before saying something about how all lives are sacred and that no matter how evil Ozai was, he didn’t deserve to die. Aang continued his rant, saying that they should all forgive him and that maybe then he would see the errors of his ways. 

Zuka resisted the urge to laugh at the thought of forgiving her father. The man had done unspeakable things to her, and all she ever wanted was his love. If only Aang knew how truly evil he was. How many lives had he ruined and for what? 

It is Sokka who breaks the silence. He berated the airbender for not doing his duty before slicing the melon clean in half. Aang only stared in horror as the others moved to clean up the battlefield. Afterwards, everyone headed to dinner in a solemn mood. 

At dinner, there is yet another argument about the fate of Ozai. Aang is adamant about not killing the Fire Lord, and Zuka has to bite down on the urge to yell at the young Avatar. 

Her father is a monster. There is no argument about it. 

In the aftermath of their squabble, Aang storms off with Kato following close behind. Before he can follow Aang up the stairs, Zuka grabs his shoulder, holding him back. 

“Let him go.” 

Kato looks torn at the thought of doing so. 

“But-” 

“He needs some time to figure it out himself.” 

He nodded solemnly before returning to the others. They cleaned up the table before heading to their respective rooms for the night. Once in the comfort of her room, Zuka slipped into some more comfortable clothes before lying down on her bed.

She began to think about what Aang said, how even her father deserved kindness and forgiveness. 

She grimaced at the thought.

How many times had she asked for forgiveness from her father? How many times had she wanted just an ounce of kindness from him? She had spent three years of her life searching for a fairy tale, just for the chance that her father would say that he was proud of her. It had taken her years to finally realize the mistake that she made. 

He would never love her. He would constantly think of her as a failure for as long as she lived. In his mind, she would be his pathetic, weak, honourless excuse of a daughter.

And she was okay with that.

It took her so long to realize that she didn’t need his approval. She never needed to regain her honour because she had never lost it in the first place. For so many years, Uncle had been trying to steer her in the right direction, away from her father and she was ashamed that it took her so long to realize that he wasn't worthy of her love. 

Besides, she could think of someone much more worthy of her love than Ozai.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a gentle knocking at her door. 

“Hey, it’s Kato. I was just wondering if you wanted to talk?”

She felt her heart race as she scrambled to make herself look presentable. Once satisfied with her appearance, she sat up on her bed before answering. 

“S-sure, come on in.” she stuttered.

He slowly opened her door, taking a few steps into her room before noticing the sleeping attire that she was wearing.

“Nice pyjamas.” he snickered. 

“Shut up!” she replied hotly. “They’re comfortable, so that’s all that matters.” 

He only laughed as he closed the door behind him before moving to join her on the bed. They sat in silence for a while, just simply enjoying each other's company. This time she’s the one who spoke up first.

“Do you think that Aang was… right about my father?” she asked.

Kato didn't respond for a few seconds, and she was nervous that he would agree with the young avatar before he opened his mouth to speak. 

“No.,” he said quietly. “I think that a monster like him doesn’t deserve any forgiveness, not after what he’s done.” 

Zuka lets out a breath that she didn’t know she had been holding. “I see.” is all that she can come up with. 

It’s not that she wants him to die - no matter how much she dislikes the idea, he’s still family. She feels the same way about Azula. Deep down Zuka still loved her sister, and she hated the thought of having to fight her.

The two of them sit in silence again before Zuka spoke up once again. 

“Do you know how I got my scar?” 

He turns to look at her, shock visible on his face before shaking his head. She took a deep breath before responding. 

“My father gave it to me.” 

Kato’s eyes widened. “Your father?”

She only nodded in response.

His face twists in anger. “How could he? How could he burn his own daughter?”

She smiled softly before starting her tale. 

“I was thirteen, and I had been trying to prove myself to my father for years. I wanted to show him that I was ready, that I took my responsibility as Crown Princess seriously.” She let out a bitter laugh. “My father was in an important war meeting, and I begged Uncle to let me come in with him, so I could show him that I took my role seriously.”

Zuka quickly looked up to gauge his response, and he nodded encouragingly at her. 

“There was a general, named Bujing. He wanted to…” She paused for a moment, swallowing hard. “He wanted to use a whole division of unarmed recruits as bait, so they could destroy a battalion of skilled earthbenders.” 

Zuka heard Kato let out a gasp. Averting her gaze to the floor, she sighed before continuing her story.

“It was awful. I couldn’t let him send that many innocent men to their deaths. So I spoke up - told him that those men loved their country and that he was betraying them.” She stopped again. “Betraying our country.”

Zuka doesn’t look up to see his reaction.

“For my disobedience, I was to fight in an Agni Kai. I thought that I would be fighting Bujing, and while he was older than me, I was pretty sure that I could defeat him. But when I got to the arena…” she trailed off. 

“Your father was there instead.” Kato finished.

Zuka nodded wordlessly. 

“Little did I know that by speaking out against Bujing in the Fire Lord’s war room, I was speaking out against the Fire Lord himself.” She clenched her jaw tightly. “I begged him to forgive me - told him that I had meant no disrespect and that I was his loyal daughter.” 

Kato simply gave her a sad look.

“He told me to stand and fight. I refused, saying that I only had the Fire Nation’s best interests at heart. I told him that I wouldn’t fight him.” Zuka blinked back the tears forming in her eyes. “H-he told me that I needed to learn respect and that suffering would be my teacher. Then he burned the left side of my face off.” 

Kato quickly enveloped her in a hug, holding her tightly - almost as if he was afraid that she would break if he let go. Zuka finally let the dam break, sobbing into his shoulder as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.

“Oh, princess.” murmured Kato. “I’m so sorry that you had to go through that. I can’t imagine what it must’ve felt like.” 

Zuka buried her face further into his tunic, relishing the closeness of their bodies as Kato thumbed the tears off of her face. They sat in silence, both lost in their thoughts and continued to hold her close to his body. After a while, Kato began to speak. 

“Listen, your scar does define you, but not in the way that you think.” he started. “You may think of it as a mark of shame, but I think that it’s a mark of honour.”

She let out a snort of disbelief and Kato put his hands on both sides of her face, forcing her to look at him. 

“You stood up for those soldiers when no one else would. You were strong, Zuka. You _are_ strong.” Kato beamed at her. “The strongest, bravest, and most honourable person I know.” 

Zuka felt her cheeks warm at his words and despite herself, she felt her lips curling into a soft smile of her own. Kato pulled her into a hug again as she dug herself deeper into his embrace - both of them savouring the intimacy of the moment.

When they eventually pulled away, she smiled timidly at him, meeting his gaze. 

“Sorry for ruining your shirt like that,” she said shyly. 

“Don’t sweat it,” he teased. “You’re more important than the stupid tunic anyways.”

She just laughed at his antics, as she elbowed him in the ribs. He yelped at the contact before shooting her a glare. Swallowing hard, she opened her mouth to speak again.

“Hey, I was just wondering… c-could you stay with me tonight?” she muttered. 

Kato’s eyes widened, confusion evident on his face. “Come again?” he asked.  
Zuka blushed again, before looking down at the floor in embarrassment. “I said, could you stay with me tonight?” she mumbled under her breath. “I don’t really want to be alone right now.” 

She peered at him through her eyelashes, worried that she had overstepped and said something wrong. Instead, he just grinned at her, as he lied down on the bed. 

“Sure, but you’re going to have to scooch over a bit.” he joked. 

She rolled her eyes at his childlike behaviour but she slid beside his body under the covers. Sighing as he wrapped his arms around her, she tucked her head into the crook of his neck. Soon enough, she felt herself drifting to sleep.

“Everything’s going to be alright. I promise." Kato whispered into her ear. 

And at that moment, she truly believed him.


	5. Agni Kai

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! I've been dealing with a bit of writer's block and this chapter took me quite a bit of time to write. I'm planning for one more chapter, and it should be out soon. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

When they woke up the next day, Aang was nowhere to be found.

Panic ensued, as the others split into search groups, spreading out across the island in hopes of finding the young airbender. After searching for the entire morning to no avail, they held a meeting to discuss their next course of action.

None of them are sure what to do next. They all agree that Aang is probably no longer on Ember Island, but aside from that, they can’t decide what their next move should be. Sozin’s Comet will arrive in a few short days, and they still have to stop Ozai from destroying the Earth Kingdom.

With or without the Avatar. 

Zuka looked up from the ground to see the eyes of Kato and the rest of the gang staring at her. 

“Why are you all looking at me?”

Kato shrugged. “Well, you do have the most experience in hunting the Avatar.” 

Zuka’s face darkened in embarrassment, but she knew that he didn’t mean what he said in a bad way. She thought for a moment, before remembering a certain bounty hunter in the Earth Kingdom. 

She knew that June was… an acquired taste to say the least, and she wasn’t sure if her friends would approve of her choice. Especially as Zuka had once employed her to help track down the Avatar with less-than-friendly intentions. However, desperate times called for desperate measures, and right now June was their best bet to find Aang. 

Zuka met Kato’s gaze. “I’ve got an idea, but we need to go to the Earth Kingdom. We have to leave right away.”

Kato nodded, and the rest of the group moved quickly to pack their meagre belongings. Zuka headed to her room to gather her things - and to say goodbye to the place that she had called home for these past few weeks.

Once she returned to the beach, everyone was already waiting for her aboard Appa. Kato offered to help her board, and she accepted his gesture gratefully. Sitting down in the front of the saddle, she took the reins before leading Appa into the sky; leaving behind Ember Island and heading towards their destiny.

* * *

After flying for hours, they landed next to a seedy-looking bar in the middle of the Earth Kingdom. 

Upon stepping inside, they were immediately hit with the stench of sweat, body odour and alcohol. While the others were scanning their surroundings with disgust, Zuka had found exactly who she was looking for. 

June was in the middle of an arm wrestle with a man around twice her size, and she was winning quite effortlessly. When they made eye contact, June looked surprised for a moment before smirking at the firebender. She slammed down her opponent’s arm and the bar exploded into cheers. The man let out a whimper and slithered away into the depths of the tavern. 

The bounty hunter grinned at her as she took a sip of her drink. “If it isn’t Princess Pouty.” She glanced at her friends before frowning. “Where’s your creepy grandpa?” 

Zuka rolled her eyes. “He’s my uncle, and he’s not here.” 

June nodded as she downed the rest of her shot. She looked at Kato before shooting her a smug look. “I see that you worked things out with your boyfriend.” 

Zuka and Kato both turned a similar shade of red before they shouted simultaneously. “He’s not my boyfriend!” “She’s not my girlfriend!”

Their reactions, however, only seemed to amuse June. “Okay, okay. Sheesh, I was only teasing.” She cleared her throat before leaning on the counter. “So, what do you want?” 

Right, they were here for business, not to get teased about her not-so-conspicuous feelings for the waterbender. She had no time to think about the way her heart raced when he smiled at her, how their embraces lingered for too long to be considered friendly, or how they actively sought each other out throughout the day.

No, she couldn’t dwell on that right now. 

They had a mission to do. 

Putting aside her thoughts, she explained how Aang had gone missing and that they needed to find him before it was too late. June nodded in understanding and led them outside where her shirshu, Nyla was waiting patiently. The bounty hunter asked if they had anything with Aang’s scent on it, and Kato pulled out the airbender’s staff before handing it to June. She held it to Nyla who sniffed the stick curiously. 

All of a sudden, the shirshu lied down and covered its nose.

“What’s that mean?” Zuka asked, perplexed. 

June stroked Nyla’s fur nonchalantly. “Means your friend’s gone. Gone gone. He doesn’t exist.” 

Everyone in the group looked shocked at her statement. Sokka found his voice first. “What do you mean he’s gone?” He hesitated. “Do you mean he’s… you know, dead?”

“Nope. We could find him if he was dead.” Everyone let out a sigh of relief before June climbed onto Nyla. “Wow, it's a real head-scratcher huh? See ya.”

Toph snorted. “Real helpful, huh princess?” 

They couldn’t give up now, not when the comet was so close. Zuka racked her brain for someone, anyone that they could find to help them defeat the Firelord. She could only think of one person, and he probably wanted nothing to do with her.

Her uncle. 

She sighed and told the others that she had an idea before pulling one of Uncle’s old sandals out of her bag. The others recoiled at the horrid smell emanating from the item as Zuka gave it to June who wafted it in front of Nyla’s nose. 

Suddenly, the shirshu bolted upright and before anyone could react, they were gone. 

“Hey!” Zuka yelled. “Wait up!” 

June either didn’t hear or chose to ignore her as the bounty hunter and her shirshu disappeared further into the forest. Zuka sighed as they scrambled onto Appa before taking to the sky.

* * *

They flew for ages, following June across the Earth Kingdom before they stopped near the ruined outskirts Ba Sing Se. She had explained that Iroh was somewhere beyond the outer walls and wished them good luck before taking off. 

After travelling for so long, they decided to set up camp for the day and they would continue their search the day after. She had just lied down to relax when suddenly they were surrounded by a ring of fire. 

The rest of the group prepared for battle, but they were fully encircled. They were all standing back to back, ready to fight whoever lurked on the other side of the flames. The untold message was clear, win or lose, they were in this together. 

However, when the flames dissipated, instead of seeing enemies they were greeted by the sight of all their old masters. They let out a collective breath before rushing forwards to greet their mentors. 

Piandao, Bumi, Pakku, Jeong Jeong, they were all there! Their teachers explained that they were all part of the same secret society, with Iroh as their leader. They had decided that now was the time to reveal themselves to the world and liberate the city of Ba Sing Se from the tyranny of the Fire Nation. 

Whilst everyone was lost in discussion with their respective masters, Zuka searched her surroundings looking for her uncle. When she didn’t see him, Zuka had to remind herself that he probably hated her and wanted nothing to do with the niece that had betrayed him. 

After a while, they were led to the White Lotus camp where they could rest and discuss their plan further. Unable to wait any longer, Zuka asked where her uncle was, and Piandao pointed to a small tent on the outskirts of the camp and explained that that’s where he was. 

Zuka nodded in thanks and she began to walk to the tent, before stopping right at the entrance. She groaned and slumped to the ground, putting her head in her hands. How could she face him after what she had done? 

She heard footsteps approaching and she looked up into the face of a frowning Kato.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Zuka hung her head in shame. “No, I’m not. My uncle hates me, I know it. He loved and supported me in every way he could, and I still turned against him.” Her voice broke. “How can I even face him?” 

Kato took a seat next to her. “Zuka, you’re sorry for what you did, right?” 

How could he even say that? There wasn’t a single day where she didn’t think about what she did to her uncle. She spent countless nights in the palace simply staring at the ceiling wondering if she had made the right decision in Ba Sing Se. She would do anything to get her uncle back. 

“More sorry than I’ve been about anything else in my life,” she affirmed.

“Then he’ll forgive you," Kato smiled at her. “I _know_ he will.” 

Despite all of her nerves, she managed a small smile at his words. She was still nervous, but she felt a bit better after their short conversation. 

“Thank you, Kato,” she whispered. 

He shot her a soft smile before motioning towards the tent. With newfound determination, she stood up and strode towards the entrance of her uncle’s tent. She stopped at the opening before taking a deep breath and stepping through. 

“Uncle?” she called out.

Zuka scanned the inside of the tent. In the middle was her uncle, sleeping on a bedroll and snoring loudly. She let out a little laugh at the scene before her. Of course, when she found Uncle again and was just about to beg for his forgiveness, he was taking a nap. She decided to wait until he woke up. After all, she’d waited so long for the opportunity to see her Uncle again and to tell him that she was sorry. She could wait for him to finish his nap.

Zuka had all the time in the world. 

She sat like that for hours, contemplating what to say when all of a sudden Iroh began to stir as he roused from his slumber. He yawned before turning around, briefly making eye contact with her before quickly looking away. Zuka felt a pang go through her heart. She knew that Uncle wouldn’t be happy to see her, but it still hurt. 

“I know you must have mixed feelings about seeing me,” she began, voice thick with emotion. ”But I want you to know,” she paused, unable to stop the tears from falling down her face. “I am so sorry, Uncle. I am so sorry and ashamed of what I did. I don't know how I can ever make it up to you. But I'll-” 

She was cut off as he pulled her into a tight embrace. Zuka wrapped her arms around Uncle and the two of them wept together, reunited at last. After a while, they pulled away and Iroh smiled at her, proud.

Zuka began to smile back, before remembering everything that had led up to their reunion. She looked down at the ground, refusing to meet his gaze. “How can you forgive me so easily?” She asked, confused. “I thought you would be furious with me.” 

Iroh laughed gently, shaking his head. “I was never angry with you, my niece. I was sad that you had lost your way.” 

Zuka frowned. “I did lose my way.” 

“But you found it again. And you did it by yourself.” He looked at her again, eyes filled with pride. “And I am so happy you found your way here.” 

Zuka let out a breath, before finally allowing herself to let go of all of the grief, sadness and shame that she felt over betraying him. She felt the relief wash over her, happy that she managed to make things right between her and Uncle before the comet.

“To be honest, it wasn’t that hard, Uncle,” she snickered. “You have a pretty strong scent.” 

He let out a boisterous laugh, and Zuka couldn’t help but chuckle along. 

And at that moment, she truly felt at peace.

* * *

After their reunion, Zuka and Iroh met with the others to discuss their next course of action. Sozin’s Comet was almost upon them, and she thought that he would face Ozai for his rightful spot on the throne.

Instead, Iroh refused, saying that it was the Avatar’s duty to defeat the Firelord, not his, for his destiny lied in retaking Ba Sing Se from the Fire Nation. When Zuka asked who would become the new Fire Lord then, he said that it would be someone new - an idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honour.

It would be her.

Zuka was taken aback from his statement. Unquestionable honour? But she had made so many mistakes in her life. Iroh seemed to sense her apprehension and added gently that while she had made many mistakes, she had restored her own honour by herself and that only she could restore the honour of the Fire Nation. She reluctantly accepted and told him that she would try her best to bring honour to her nation once the war was over.

Now that the line of succession had been sorted, they began to plan what they would do on the day that the comet would come. Since Ozai had declared himself Phoenix King, the title of Fire Lord had passed to Azula. Everyone had decided that Zuka would go to the capital to confront her sister and to claim her spot on the throne. When she asked who would come with her, Kato instantly volunteered and she was relieved when the others nodded in approval.

There was no one else that she would trust with her life. 

Once they had figured out what to do with Azula, Sokka asked what he, Toph and Suki would do. After some thought, they had decided that the three of them would attempt to stop the airship fleet from taking off and wreaking havoc upon the Earth Kingdom. 

Satisfied with their plan, their rag-tag group began to pack up their camp in preparation for the battle ahead of them. Once they were all done, everyone met up once again to say their goodbyes before they left to accomplish their tasks. Hugs were exchanged, tears fell, and promises were made to stay safe during the battle. Before they left, all of the members of Team Avatar were pulled into one last group hug, with no one wanting to let go. 

But they must leave, each to fulfill their destinies and it was with a heavy heart that Zuka climbed on top of Appa with Kato following right behind her. Taking one last look at her newfound family, she pulls on the reins and they take to the sky.

Kato and Zuka didn’t speak for most of the flight, as they flew across the ocean towards Caldera City. When Sozin’s Comet came across the horizon, it painted the sky in different shades of orange, red and yellow, and Zuka could feel the energy coursing deep within her bones. She stiffened, feeling her inner fire flare-up as her body temperature increased.

Kato seemed to notice her discomfort. “Are you alright?”

She sighed and inclined her head. “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just the comet,” Zuka held her hands out in front of her. “I’ve never felt this kind of thing before, it’s like I can feel the energy running through my body.” 

He nodded. “I feel the same way when there’s a full moon out. You feel all this… raw power flowing through your veins almost.” 

“I’ll probably need it if I’m going to beat Azula.” she admitted. 

Kato seemed a bit nervous at the mention of her sister’s name. He looked at her, clearly thinking carefully about his choice of words. “Are you going to have to… y’know?” 

There was the thought that was haunting ever since they left their camp. Zuka didn’t want to hurt or even kill her sister. She still loved her and while she knew that it was a possibility, it was one that she did not want to entertain.

“I don’t want to, but if I have to… I will,” she stated sadly. “I’m more worried about Aang. What if… he doesn’t come back?” 

Kato grabbed her hand. “He will. He’ll come back and defeat Ozai. I promise.” 

It sounded like he was trying to convince himself, but she didn’t mention it. Instead, she rested her head against his shoulder and she felt him wrap his arm around hers. The two of them sat in silence for the rest of the ride, simply revelling in each other’s presence. 

Regardless of what happened today, she was glad that Kato was by her side.

* * *

The Caldera City was deserted, As they walked through the empty roads, there wasn’t a soul to be seen. Houses were boarded up, shops were empty, and the once-bustling capital was devoid of any life.

Zuka wondered what happened to her old home. Weren’t the people supposed to be celebrating? Today was the day that the Fire Nation finally conquered their enemies for good, and not a single person was here to witness it.  
As they neared the palace, Zuka could hear voices coming from the courtyard. Azula was kneeling on the steps of the plaza with the Fire Sages standing behind her and of them was holding the crown above her head.

“By decree of Phoenix King Ozai, I now crown you Fire Lord...” He trailed off, making eye contact with Zuka. 

“What are you waiting for? Just do it!” Azula snapped at the Fire Sage. 

Zuka stepped forwards before announcing the loudest voice that she could muster. “Sorry, but you’re not gonna become Fire Lord today. I am.” 

Azula threw her head back and laughed. “You’re hilarious.” 

“And you’re going down,” said Kato.

The Fire Sage moved to place the crown in Azula’s hair, but she raised a hand, signalling him to stop. 

“Wait. You want to be Fire Lord? Fine. Let's settle this. Just you and me, sister. The showdown that was always meant to be.” She stood, pointing at Zuka. “Agni Kai!”

“You’re on!” Zuka yelled. 

Kato turned to look at her, alarmed. “What are you doing? She's playing you. She knows she can't take us both, so she's trying to separate us.” 

“I know, but I can take her this time.” Zuka looked away, eyes full of sadness. “There's something off about her; I can't explain it but she's slipping. And this way, no one else has to get hurt.” 

_‘This way, you don’t have to get hurt.’_ she thought. 

He nodded apprehensively, before pulling her into a hug. “Be careful, okay?” 

“I will.” 

They pulled apart as Kato moved to watch by the sidelines. Zuka took a deep breath before kneeling at one end of the courtyard with Azula following suit on the other side. The two sisters stood up, facing each other. 

“I’m sorry things had to end this way, sister.” Azula sneered.

Zuka smiled sadly as she took her stance. “No, you’re not.” 

Azula smirked at her and the fight was on. In the beginning, they were evenly matched, much to her sister’s annoyance. As the battle progressed, Azula’s movements became more and more erratic. Her forms were sloppy, and her flames were shooting uncontrollably all over the courtyard. Meanwhile, Zuka was calm, her motions swift and deliberate. She knew that if she kept this up, she would win. 

And that’s when everything went wrong.

Azula was hunched over in pain, breathing heavily. Her hair was messy and undone, and at that moment she looked truly insane. Zuka decided that now was the time to finish it, once and for all.

“No lightning today? What’s wrong? Afraid I’ll redirect it?” she taunted.

Azula’s gaze bore into her, eyes full of hate. “Oh, I’ll show you lightning!” 

Zuka took a deep breath as she assumed her stance, ready to redirect her sister’s attack. Azula moved her fingers to summon the lightning, but her motions were irregular and off. She could see the sparks beginning to form, and Zuka readied herself, both mentally and physically for what was to come next. 

But Azula didn’t shoot the lightning at her. Right before she released the bolt from her fingertips, she turned her eyes on Kato. Zuka felt her heart drop in her chest as she knew what was coming next. With a wicked grin, Azula turned and fired the lightning right at Kato. At that moment everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. The only thing she could see was Azula’s attack making its way towards Kato. 

Towards the man she loved. 

Her body moved by itself. Zuka flung herself in the path of the lightning, reaching out to redirect Azula’s attack at her. 

But she was too late. 

The bolt struck her straight in the chest, and she screamed at the excruciating pain that enveloped her. She hit the ground hard, and her body began to convulse uncontrollably. In the distance, Zuka could faintly hear the sound of someone calling her name and she prayed that Kato had enough sense to escape while her sister was distracted. 

However, out of the corner of her eye, she could see them battling, but her vision was beginning to fade as she struggled to keep her eyes open. As Zuka was fighting to stay conscious, she felt her inner fire begin to fade. 

Unable to withstand the agony anymore, she closed her eyes. She sighed in relief when the pain began to fade as she let the darkness consume her.

All of a sudden, she was blinded by a light illuminating a tunnel. She put her hands in front of her face as she began to walk towards the strange glow. As she grew closer, a strong feeling of peace and serenity washed over her body. However, just as she reached out to touch the light, Zuka felt something pulling her back towards the void. She struggled against its hold, but she was powerless to stop the mysterious force and she found herself being shrouded in darkness once again.

Zuka's eyes shot open. She was aware of a sharp ache in her chest, but the once debilitating pain was gone. Crouching above her was Kato, his hands coated in water. His brow was furrowed in concentration and she thought that she saw some tears rolling down his cheeks. She stirred slightly and Kato drew back looking relieved. 

"Zuka! Thank the spirits you're alive!"

She couldn't help but smile and her heart fluttered when he returned hers tenfold. 

"Thank you, Kato." she breathed. "You saved my life."

"I think that I should be the one thanking you." he professed.

Zuka's face coloured and Kato pulled her into a deep embrace, before whispering into her ear. "And if you _ever_ pull a stunt like that again, I will personally bring you back from the spirit world to end you myself." 

She let out a soft laugh at his antics as she snuggled deeper into his chest. "Don't worry, it's going to take a lot more to kill me than that." 

She could feel the smile stretch across his face, as he rested his head on top of hers. The two sat like that, undisturbed as Sozin's Comet began to fade into the horizon.

The war was finally over.


	6. The Coronation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, sorry for the delay, but here's the final chapter! School has just started where I live and the first few weeks have been... draining to say the least. Thanks for the patience and I hope that you enjoy!

After the Agni Kai, things began to happen quickly.

The Fire Sages had declared her the winner of the Agni Kai, and Azula was taken away to the dungeons. Servants and guards were recalled from their banishments and soon the palace had a small but functional staff on hand. As the comet began to disappear, so did most of Zuka’s strength. She had managed to stay conscious due to the comet and pure adrenaline, but she soon found herself struggling to stay awake. 

During the chaos, Kato had led her to an empty chamber and instructed her to rest. She had nodded groggily before falling into a deep slumber.

* * *

Azula's lightning lit up the courtyard. 

Zuka's body moved by itself as she ran to intercept her sister's attack. She reached out with one arm, praying that she made it in time.

"Kato, no!" She yelled, desperation seeping into her veins.

But it was too late.

She could only watch as the bolt struck Kato square in the chest. His body convulsed as he fell to the ground, letting out a blood-curdling scream. She crouched beside his body, her hands raking over his face. 

"Kato, you have to stay with me!" She pleaded.

She was only met with the lifeless eyes of the man she loved.

Zuka shot awake with a gasp, her heart racing and sweat dripping down her forehead. 

She was surrounded by red. Red sheets, red curtains, red everything. She was aware of a sharp pain in her chest, but as she tried to sit up, a gentle hand pressed against her shoulder, forcing her to stay down.

A soft voice spoke up. “Easy there Zuka, you’re alright. It's just me.” 

She turned to see Kato sitting in a chair beside her bed.

“What happened? Where am I?” She asked, scanning her surroundings. 

“We’re in the Royal Palace. Azula challenged you to an Agni Kai and you won.” He grimaced. “Not before taking a lightning bolt to the chest though.”

“Oh, I see,” she finished dumbly.

He nodded stiffly. "Speaking of lightning, let me have a look at how your wound is doing." 

Zuka complied, and her hands went to remove her tunic before she realized who was sitting before her. 

"W-wait, right now?" She stammered.

"Yeah. Is there something wrong?"

She coughed and hoped that the flush on her cheeks wasn't too visible. "Well it's just that…" she trailed off. "I'm only wearing my coverings beneath this."

He seemed to understand what she meant and his face turned into a matching shade of red. "Oh! Well… I’ll be done in just a second,” he finished quickly. 

Zuka agreed and removed her tunic, making sure to not make eye contact with Kato. She winced as the wound began to throb once exposed to the open air as she neatly folded up her shirt and put it to the side. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Kato staring at her as she crossed her arms in front of her chest self consciously. 

"Well, what's taking you so long?" She huffed.

Kato swallowed hard before coating his hands in water. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as he grew nearer and she prayed that he wouldn't be able to feel her heartbeat whilst he healed her. 

She sighed as he began his treatment, his hands soothing the throbbing pain in her abdomen to a dull ache.  
"This is going to scar,” he stated sadly.

Zuka looked down at her abdomen, observing her latest injury in-depth for the first time. The wound was an angry red, with thin tendrils snaking their way up just beneath her chest. She had received countless scars throughout the years - had endured years of abuse and neglect, but when she saw the new wound on her chest, she didn’t feel ashamed of it.

She felt proud. 

Proud that after all the years and all the mistakes that she had made, she had finally managed to fulfill her destiny. She was amazed at the person that she had become, and the people that she had met along the way. Team Avatar had become a part of her family, and she loved each and every one of them dearly. 

(She also loved one of them a _little_ more than the others, but what they didn't know wouldn’t hurt them.)

All of a sudden, Kato stopped and his expression turned sad. "Why?” He mumbled. “Why would you do that?”

“Huh?” She replied, confused. “Why would I do what?”

“The lightning!” Zuka recoiled at his sudden outburst and Kato sighed, rubbing his temples with his fingers. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you. I just wanted to know… why me? Why would you risk everything for me?” He started to raise his voice again, growing more animated as he continued. “You’re going to be the next Fire Lord! You could have died! The world needs you, Zuka, not me. Your life is more important than some Water Tribe peasant’s!” 

She exploded at his words. “How could you even say that?! You don’t think that we need you?! That you’re not important?!” 

“Well, no, I mean-”

“The world needs you as well, Kato! Sokka needs you! Aang needs you! I-” Zuka hesitated, unsure if she should continue. She swallowed hard. “ _I_ need you, Kato.” 

The words were hardly more than a whisper, but Kato seemed to have heard her. He reached out towards her, as his face morphed into a soft expression. “Zuka…” 

“No, please, just let me finish ok?” 

He nodded slightly and Zuka took a deep breath. “Do you know why I jumped in front of Azula’s lightning?” When he didn’t respond, she took it as her cue to continue. 

“When I saw the bolt travelling towards you, I was so, so, so scared. Terrified that you might be hurt, or even worse. I don’t know what happened to me, my body kind of moved by itself. I don't want to live in a world without you, Kato. I can't live without you."

She stopped one last time, as she gathered all of her remaining confidence and she met his gaze. 

“Kato, I-” Zuka hesitated again. “I did it because I love you,” she professed. “And I would do it all over again, just to keep you safe.” 

When he didn't respond at first she looked away, afraid that she had read too far into things, afraid that she had seen things that weren't there on his side. But before she could try and change the subject he reached out and cupped the scarred side of her face gently. She flinched slightly at the contact, unused to letting people touch her face before she leaned into his touch. Kato was one of the few people who she let touch her burn, and for good reason. His fingers were gentle, caressing the side of her cheek before he slid them under her chin. 

Zuka's heart began to race as he slowly tilted her head up to face him. Blue eyes met gold ones as he began to lean in towards her. Her eyelashes fluttered closed as he closed the distance and finally, finally kissed her. 

The kiss was short but sweet, and Zuka could feel a warmth making its way down deep into her chest. When they pulled apart, he rested his forehead on hers, a soft smile making its way across his face. Zuka’s heart was still pounding, as she wrapped her arms tight around his neck, resolving to not let go. 

“I love you too, Zuka,” he whispered into her ear. 

“R-really?” she breathed. 

He beamed at her. “Of course.”

Zuka's heart nearly burst out of her chest at his words as she looked up to meet his gaze. “Can… I kiss you again?” she asked a little sheepishly. 

Kato laughed softly before he nodded. “Anytime you want, princess.” 

She smiled before pressing her lips to his again.

And at that moment, Zuka felt everything fall into place.

* * *

Zuka sighed as she removed the crown from her topknot. 

As it turned out, she was not a huge fan of coronations. After recovering for a few more days, the Fire Sages went along with her coronation. With Azula and her father out of the picture, she was to be the new Fire Lord. 

And it terrified her.  
It also didn’t help that the Hundred Years War had ended scant days ago and that Zuka would be one of the youngest Fire Lords in the history of the nation. Most kids her age were having fun and enjoying their youth, and here she was, running a country.

Moreover, she knew that the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes had suffered dearly during the war and they would seek hefty reparations for the horrors that their citizens were subjected to for the last hundred years.

And then there were the economic and the social issues that would inevitably plague her country. How would the Fire Nation change and adapt from their once war-based economy into one that would function during peacetime? And what would happen to the thousands of soldiers who would be without jobs? And how would the years and years of propaganda be removed from the minds of her people?

It was all too much for Zuka to handle. 

She rubbed her temples as she sunk into a chair. After the coronation and the party that had ensued, the newly crowned Fire Lord had retired to her chamber for the night. Countless nobles and aristocrats had come up to her, hoping to curry favour with the young monarch and after all of that, she needed some time to think.

She was interrupted by the sound of a door knocking.

“Come in,” she called out, not bothering to look up as her visitor entered her private chambers. 

“Fancy place you got here, huh, Fire Lord?” 

Zuka snapped her head up at the familiar voice. “Kato?” 

“That’s me,” he replied, grinning at her as he made his way across her spacious room. 

She couldn’t the smile that spread across her face as she rushed across her chamber, before crushing him into a hug. 

“Woah, someone’s happy to see me,” he chuckled.

“I missed you,” she breathed into his shoulder.

He only held her tighter. “Me too.”

She sighed as she snuggled further into his chest. Due to the hasty planning of the coronation, Zuka hadn’t been able to see Kato as much as she wanted to outside of their healing sessions. After finding out that he reciprocated her confession, the two had been trying to spend as much time as they could together, albeit with little success thanks to her coronation.

However, they managed to make the most out of the little time they had to themselves…

Kato interrupted her memories as he began to speak.

“So, how are you feeling, Firelord?” 

“Not good,” she mumbled.

Zuka found it incredibly endearing as he pulled away from their embrace, his face full of worry.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

She hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should tell him how she felt about becoming the new Fire Lord. She turned her gaze away from him. What if he laughed at her? What if he told her that she was just being unreasonable? 

Kato seemed to sense her anxiety and he reached out and held her hand gently in his. "Listen, I'll always be here for you, no matter what, ok?"

She nodded and took a deep breath. "I don't feel ready for this. I've made so many mistakes before, but now I have to rule a whole country." She paused for a moment, before finishing in a quiet whisper. "What if I'm not good enough?"

Those were the words that her father had always told her. She was never good enough, wasn’t smart enough, wasn’t skilled enough. 

She was a failure. 

She braced herself for his ridicule, but instead, he just held her tight as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.

“Oh, Zuka,” he replied sadly. “You’ve been through so much, haven’t you?” 

She just nodded silently against his chest as she breathed in deeply, taking in his scent. Just being around him managed to calm her racing thoughts.

“I’m not going to lie to you and say that everything’s going to be okay, because it’s not going to be that simple,” he continued, pulling back to look into her eyes. “All of us are going to face some problems in this new world, and it’s up to us to preserve this fragile peace. It’s not going to be easy, but I think that you’re going to do an amazing job, Zuka.” 

He shot her a wide smile, and Zuka felt her breath catch in her throat. 

“But no matter what happens, I’m always going to be here for you. When the two of us are together, there’s not a single thing in the universe that can stop us,” he finished sincerely.

She felt her heart soar as she met his eyes. 

Zuka pressed her lips against his desperately, wanting to be as close as possible to the man that she loved. He met her kiss eagerly and she can feel fire coursing through her veins. Eventually, they broke apart, both gasping for air. 

“Thank you, Kato,” she whispered. “For everything.”

His gaze softened at her words and she felt herself begin to melt. “Anything for my favourite Firebender.” 

Zuka felt as if she had been set ablaze. How was it possible to feel so strongly towards a person? She had never experienced anything like this before - never thought that she would ever find someone that would make her feel this way. 

And it was intoxicating. 

“I love you,” she professed, adamantly. 

“I love you too.” 

“Just shut up and kiss me again.” 

He laughed as she watched him with wonder. “If you say so.” 

She let out a snort before moving in to press her lips against his softly. 

Regardless of what happened next, she knew that Kato would always catch her if she fell.

* * *

“Does this mean we’re dating now?” 

Zuka yawned as her pillow began to stir. “Kato, we confessed to each other last week, and we’ve been sleeping together ever since.” 

He paused for a moment, deep in thought. “I’ll take that as a yes.” 

“Just go back to bed,” she groaned.

“Fair enough.”


End file.
